Functionalizing Fibres for Energy Recovery Applications

柔性衬底器件正变得越来越流行，可穿戴和其他基于织物的器件是一个重要的研究焦点。为可穿戴传感器和电子设备供电对此类设备的进一步实施提出了挑战。因此，利用能量回收技术为这些设备供电的能力是可取的。这个项目的目的是研究一种基于织物的自充电模式，通过功能线，可以绣到织物上。在这种模式下，能量被回收来为可穿戴设备供电，而不必给它们充电。该方法不仅可以解决离线期间的可用性挑战，还可以为长期连续监测能力铺平道路。重点将放在各种能量回收方案上，包括压电、磁感应和通过线程功能化的光伏发电。为了实现这一目标，我们可以采用现有的能量清除技术，并通过将线的功能化来开发它们，然后将其缝进衣服中。这项技术也可以用于从净窗帘的光线中吸收能量。该项目将研究如何使线发挥功能，并测试它们在服装中使用的坚固性，并将采用标准的微加工技术，并设计创新的方法来修改它们，使其与线和织物一起使用。除了可穿戴设备的直接应用之外，另一个固有的优势是使用柔性基材和刺绣方法开发机械保形功能表面。这一特性将在需要保形、灵活和低成本的活动表面的应用中进行探索，特别是在具有挑战性的环境中

Flexible substrate devices are becoming increasingly popular, with wearable and other fabric-based devices being a significant research focus. Powering wearable sensors and electronics presents a challenge to further implementation of such devices. The ability to power these devices using energy recovery techniques would therefore be desirable.The aim of this project is to research a self-charging paradigm for fabric-based devices by functionalising threads, which could be embroidered into fabrics. In this paradigm, energy is recovered to power wearable devices, rather than having to charge them. The method will not only address the usability challenges around offline periods but will also pave the way for long-term continuous monitoring capabilities. The focus will be on various energy recovery options, including piezoelectricity, magnetic induction and photovoltaics through the functionalisation of threads.In order to achieve this, we can take existing energy scavenging technologies and develop them via the functionalisation of threads that can then be sewn into clothing. This technology could also be developed to scavenge energy from light in net window curtains. This project will investigate how to functionalise the threads and test how robust they are for use in clothing and will involve taking standard microfabrication techniques and devising innovative ways to modify them for use with threads and fabrics.In addition to the immediate application of wearables, another inherent advantage is to develop mechanically conformal functional surfaces using flexible substrates and embroidery methods. This feature will be explored in applications where a conformal, flexible, and low-cost active surface is required especially in challenging environments